Thousands of people have some type of bird house or bird feeder in their yards. Bird feeders not only provide birds with a readily available food source during the colder months, but also provide an enjoyable pastime for bird watchers. What is often a relaxing and enjoyable pastime, however, can often become frustrating when a squirrel eats the food from the bird feeder. First, squirrels can eat many times more food than birds. The result is that the owner of the bird feeder must more frequently refill the bird food in order to attract birds and ensure that the birds have a sufficient amount of food. Second, this frequent replacement of bird food can become costly and inconvenient for the owner of the bird feeder. Third, a squirrel eating from a bird feeder will usually scare off the birds, thus defeating the purpose of having the feeder in the lust place. Finally, a bind feeder is not normally meant to withstand the extra weight of a squirrel and may therefore become damaged or broken.
Attempts at keeping squirrels off of bird feeders have been deficient since squirrels are by nature extremely agile and cunning animals. Strategies have included altering the pole the bird feeder sits on so that it is slippery and thereby more difficult for squirrels to climb. Squirrels often are still able to overcome this obstacle, however, and reach the bird feeder.
Another strategy consists of altering the bird feeder itself. An example is a bird feeder which tilts if too much weight is placed on one side, thus causing the squirrel or other predator to fall off. While this type of feeder is sometimes successful in keeping squirrels off, it also prevents larger birds from feeding on it as well.
Some owners of bird feeders even resort to placing an additional feeder in their yards, hoping that the squirrels will eat from this feeder and leave the food in the bird feeder alone. Instead, the result is usually that the squirrel ends up getting an additional source of food.
Finally, by the time the owner of a new bird feeder realizes that a problem exists, it becomes costly and inconvenient to change the structure of the feeder in an attempt to solve the problem.
There is therefore a need in the art for an effective means of preventing squirrels and other predatory animals from eating the food from bird feeders which can be added to a new or existing feeding system.
Therefore, a primary objective of the present invention is a provision of an improved squirrel baffler.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved squirrel baffler which is easy to install and convenient to use, even on existing structures.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved squirrel baffler which does not prevent birds from eating from the bird feeder.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved squirrel baffler which is economical to manufacture and durable.
These and other objectives will be apparent from the following description of the invention.
The squirrel baffler of the present invention is intended to be used in conjunction with traditional bird houses and feeders which are mounted on a pole or post. The squirrel baffler is generally conical in shape with a single seam extending longitudinally along its outer surface when assembled. The longitudinal seam is formed by two interlocking members substantially running the length of the baffler which are used to engage and disengage the baffler around a pole. The interlocking members provide a means for attaching and removing the baffler from the pole with ease. The baffler is constructed from a material having some elasticity so that the user can operatively seal or unseal the baffler by interlocking or uninterlocking the two opposing ends of the longitudinal seam. The baffler tests upon a bracket assembly upon which is placed on the pole prior to the installation of the baffler. The bracket assembly serves to maintain the height of the baffler on the pole.
In practice, the bracket is first positioned on the bird feeder pole and is held in place on the pole by friction, the force provided by bolts or other equivalent means. The bracket is next placed on the pole above the bracket so as to slide down the pole until it engages the bracket which prevents further downward movement. The bracket and thus the baffler is adjustable to any height on the pole by disengaging the friction producing bolts or other means on the bracket. The above installment procedure can be accomplished without removing the bird feeder from the pole or removing the pole from the ground first. Once installed, a squirrel who would normally climb the pole in order to reach the bird food in the feeder is prevented from reaching the feeder due to the presence of the baffler blocking its path along the pole.